Ducks-Flames Preview

Associated Press

After having a lengthy win streak end on the road, the Calgary Flames are happy to return to the Pengrowth Saddledome for their final home game before the All-Star break.

The Flames look to continue their dominance on their home ice and win their sixth straight game over the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Friday.

Calgary (24-17-4) lost at Dallas 4-2 on Wednesday, its second straight road loss after a five-game winning streak. The Flames were outshot 21-12 through the first two periods, before outshooting the injury-plagued Stars 8-3 in the final period

"It was a terrible first two periods," defenseman Robyn Regehr said. "You can't play just one period and expect to win. We got outhustled. It's pretty simple."

While Calgary looked flat for much of Wednesday's game, it's been sharp at home this season, recording a league-best 18-5-0 record.

Calgary also has won five straight home games over Anaheim (30-11-8), outscoring them 17-6 since a loss on Feb. 4, 2003.

Goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, a backup for the Western Conference at Wednesday's All-Star game in Dallas, has been a major reason for Calgary's home success this season and against the Ducks. Kiprusoff is 17-5-0 with a 1.73 goals-against average and four shutouts at home this season, and has been even better against the Ducks at Pengrowth Saddledome in his career, going 4-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA and two shutouts.

Daymond Langkow has scored a goal in each game against the Ducks this season, and has goals in each of his last six games against them. Langkow also has a nine-game point streak against Anaheim, tallying eight goals and three assists in those games.

Kristian Huselius scored Wednesday, and has five goals in his last four games. He had two goals in Calgary's 5-3 loss to the Ducks on Nov. 26.

Although the Flames beat Anaheim 3-0 in the first game of the season series on Nov. 10, the Ducks have won the last two meetings. Anaheim has not won three straight games over Calgary since Oct. 29, 1995-Jan. 5, 1996.

The Ducks, however, have not been playing their best hockey of the season lately.

They lost to Edmonton 4-1 on Thursday to lose their third straight, and for the eighth time in their last 10 games. With that loss and Nashville's 4-0 win over Columbus earlier in the evening, Anaheim fell one point behind the Predators for the best record in the Western Conference.

"We're making too many mistakes right now," said Teemu Selanne, who scored the Ducks' lone goal giving him 30 for the seventh time in his career. "As a team we don't have too much confidence. Too many guys heads go down. It's tough right now. It's pretty frustrating. Right now we are not playing a full 60 minutes.

"But we have to stay positive and stick together. Obviously we can do things better."

Selanne has six goals in his last five games, and scored twice against the Flames on Nov. 26.

The Ducks started the season 12-1-2 away from the Honda Center, but are just 2-6-1 on the road since Dec. 16.